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Well-connected hemispheres of Einstein’s brain may have contributed to his brilliance

October 6, 2013

Albert Einstein’s corpus callosum, connecting the two cerebral hemispheres of the brain. Color codes in the middle line indicate the varying thicknesses of subdivisions of the corpus callosum (credit: Weiwei Men et al./Brain)

The left and right hemispheres of Albert Einstein’s brain were unusually well connected to each other and this may have contributed to his brilliance, according to a new study [1], the first to detail Einstein’s corpus callosum.

The corpus callosum is the brain’s largest bundle of fibers that connects the two cerebral hemispheres and facilitates interhemispheric communication.

The study was published in the journal Brain. Lead author Weiwei Men of East China Normal University’s Department of Physics developed a new technique to conduct the study. Men’s technique measures and color-codes the varying thicknesses of subdivisions of the corpus callosum along its length, where nerves cross from one side of the brain to the other.

These thicknesses indicate the number of nerves that cross and therefore how “connected” the two sides of the brain are in particular regions, which facilitate different functions depending on where the fibers cross along the length. For example, movement of the hands is represented toward the front and mental arithmetic along the back.

The sectioned and registered average corpus callosum thickness plots of Einstein (red), the elderly control group (blue) and the young control group (green). Red arrows indicate that Einstein’s callosal thickness is 10% thicker than the mean for the young group, especially in the splenium, whereas the width of Einstein’s corpus callosum is noticeably larger in the genu. Measured average corpus callosum thickness plots indicate that these regions differ significantly (P<0.05, FDR corrected) between Einstein and the two age control groups.(Credit: Weiwei Men et al./Brain)

In particular, this new technique permitted registration and comparison of Einstein’s measurements with those of two samples — one of 15 elderly men and one of 52 men Einstein’s age in 1905. During his “miracle year” at 26 years old, Einstein published four articles that contributed substantially to the foundation of modern physics and changed the world’s views about space, time, mass and energy.

The research team’s findings show that Einstein had more extensive connections between certain parts of his cerebral hemispheres compared to both younger and older control groups.

Specifically, they found that Einstein’s corpus callosum was thicker in the vast majority of subregions than their corresponding parts in the corpus callosum of elderly controls, and that Einstein’s corpus callosum was thicker in the rostrum, genu, midbody, isthmus, and (especially) the splenium compared with younger controls.

Photographs of the left and right midsagittal sections of Einstein’s brain with original labels (credit: National Museum of Health and Medicine)

The research of Einstein’s corpus callosum was initiated by Men, who requested the high-resolution photographs that Florida State University evolutionary anthropologist Dean Falk and other researchers published in 2012 of the inside surfaces of the two halves of Einstein’s brain [2]. In addition to Men, the current research team included Falk, second author; Tao Sun of the Washington University School of Medicine; and, from East China Normal University’s Department of Physics, Weibo Chen, Jianqi Li, Dazhi Yin, Lili Zang and Mingxia Fan.

Falk also found in previous studies [2,3] that Einstein’s brain had an extraordinary prefrontal cortex, and that inferior portions of the primary somatosensory and motor cortices were greatly expanded in the left hemisphere.

Albert Einstein was arguably the greatest physicist in the 20th century and his extraordinary intelligence has long intrigued both scientists and the general public. Despite several studies that focused mainly on the histological and morphological features of Einstein’s brain after his death, the substrates of Einstein’s genius are still a mystery (Diamond et al., 1985; Anderson and Harvey, 1996; Kigar et al., 1997; Hines, 1998; Witelson et al., 1999a, b; Colombo et al., 2006; Falk, 2009). Recently, Falk et al. (2013) analysed 14 newly discovered photographs and found that Einstein’s brain had an extraordinary prefrontal cortex, and that inferior portions of the primary somatosensory and motor cortices were greatly expanded in the left hemisphere. Among these 14 images were photographs of the left and right medial surface of Einstein’s brain, on which the corpus callosum was shown with great resolution and accuracy. The corpus callosum is the largest nerve fibre bundle that connects the cortical regions of the cerebral hemispheres in human brains and it plays an essential role in the integration of information transferred between the hemispheres over thousands of axons (Aboitiz et al., 1992). The two photographs of the medial surfaces of Einstein’s cerebral hemispheres provide the basis for the present study.

Why, when there is clear evidence of isomorphism between the left- and right-hand sides of the human body (eyes, ears, lungs, etc), do we still refer to “hemispheres” within the cranium cavity? We don’t have two ‘half eyes’ on our face.

Surely, it makes sense to see them equally as two separately tightly conjoined brains in operation? Makes no difference to Einstein’s performance but may better describe his condition.

I added this to the caption (from the paper): Measured average corpus callosum thickness plots of Einstein (red), the elderly control group (blue) and the young control group (green), the purple (old controls) and cyan (young controls) spans indicate that these regions differ significantly (P<0.05, FDR corrected) between Einstein and the two age control groups.

Based on my own personal experience I have found that real interest and enthusiasm for a subject leads to improvement in internal visualization. From what I have read it sounds like exercising your brain by visualizing things is like weight lifting that builds up your muscles. Einstein was well know for his ability to concentrate for long periods on a topic. Perhaps some of his brilliance was a product of his focus and hard work that helped rewire his brain to work better.

There ya go, Eric. It’s that extra connecting tissue that gives them “women’s intuition.” When they spot things in relationships that you don’t, that means that they are using both hemispheres at once. Men need time to shift gears from one compartment to the other. That’s why they’re always telling us that we’re so dumb.

It’s been awhile since I’ve read anything about split brain patients, but for severe epilepsy the corpus collosum if often cut. For the most part, the patients aren’t affected much. It is interesting the aspects of cognition that it does affect.

The second factor, which I suspect contributed substantially to the ongoing integration of Einstein’s brain hemispheres is his work in the patent office. All day long for 7 years he would examine drawings for new and clever devices submitted for patent. Then, he would walk to and from work with a friend and discuss the various inventions he’d examined that day. If I spend 7 years intimately involved with examining and discussing people’s creative genius, I’m guessing my brain is going to be positively affected by that disciplined activity. The exposure and examination of drawings primarily stimulating my right hemisphere; the discussion afterwards walking to and from work, stimulating my left hemisphere. Kind of reminds me of Steve Jobs, who also did some of his best creative thinking while out on walks with confederates.

Einstein’s “Genius” was nothing special; insofar as possessing any quality or trait that wouldnt be within the capabilities of statistically, 95% of every human being.

It is already common knowledge that most of our cognitive capabilities begin before we even start puberty, and the highlights of our neurological topology are primarily formed between the ages of 3 and 12.
Everything after is simply expansion upon, refinement of, and minor addition to, the existing repository of information and structures already present.

Perhaps one should stop studying Einstein’s brain, and instead study the conditions and life of Einstein during his childhood and late adolescence.

Einstein had an extremely supportive Family, and his intrigue began early on when his Father showed him a compass. (^ Schilpp (Ed.), P. A. (1979), Albert Einstein – Autobiographical Notes, Open Court Publishing Company, pp. 8–9)

It can be argued that with specific circumstances and environments, Einstein developed as statistically any human could, all things being equal.

Einstein himself also hated conventional education systems, stating:
“The spirit of learning and creative thought are lost in strict rote learning.”

Perhaps the “Secret” to Genius isnt so secret at all, but could be so simple as fostering productive environments that inspire curiosity, understanding, creativity, and freedom, none of which exist in modern-day education systems.

“inspire curiosity, understanding, creativity, and freedom, none of which exist in modern-day education systems.” Well said. The image of Einstein sticking his tongue out says it all. We are all geniuses with infinite curiosity until repressive forces kill it.

I would think with all the new brain scanning progress and use of MRI’s, that they could scan some really smart people and also some others and use that info to compare to Einstein’s brain and see what better correlations the can come up with. I like that Einstein was a patent clerk and spent a lot of time figuring out how things worked. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/physics/einstein-the-nobody.html

..so do you think any of these scientists hung on to enough genetic material to one day use toward human cloning? -just saying we are getting close to being able to pull this idea off (so who would you want to try and clone if you could bring someone back…. anyone?)

would that be freaky if they could get enough dna material off of this item (ok, just pretend along for a moment http://www.shroud.com/ ) Yeah, now who is playing god?